P4L, carpe diem (JJ Maybank)

017

1 HOUR LATER

11:43

I laid on my side, almost fully asleep. I still was a bit breathless at what just happened between him and I.

JJ grasped my waist, letting out a sigh as he cuddled my body. He and I were both naked, and we didn't care. His head rested on my shoulder, before pecking a kiss on my cheek.

"Shit, Dylan. I'm—" he chuckled, breathlessly in my ear, "definitely gonna feel this for a couple of days."

I smiled. "Me too. It was worth it though, right?"

"Worth it. Round 2?" He joked, scoffing.

I used my hand to run my fingers around his jawline.

But I couldn't help but think, how were we supposed to tell the Pogues that we were now together? 'No Pogue-On-Pogue macking.'

"J?" I asked him, as he pulled me closer to his warm chest.

"Yeah, Princess?" he asked. I blushed at the sudden nickname.

"What're we gonna tell my brother? And the Pogues?"

"Easy," he scoffed. "'Hey guys, last night, me and Dylan had some sex and now we're dating. Sound cool?" He said, obviously tired. You could tell in his voice. He sounded so natural while saying it, so I knew it was genuine.

"That's a way to put it," I laughed, playing with his hair.

He thought for a good second. "Hey, did I ever tell you something about your laugh?" He asked me.

"Hm?" I asked, looking at him from behind.

"Your laugh sounds hot."

I laughed, as he held me tighter. "For starters, let's just say that it's very sincere and very cute. It sounds really hot and let's just say, your brother... has nothing on you." I continued to laugh. This joke has ran through our friend's group for years. My brother has a little eh-he-he giggle, and I'll say it, it's very cute and smoll.

"I'm not lying, Dyl."

"One of my talents is telling when you're lying, y'know?"

He groaned. "What's it telling you right now?"

"No. You're not."

"Damn, Princess. You're good at that," he chuckled, rubbing my hand against my cheek. I blushed at the pet name, again.

He began pressing kisses onto my back. "Stop," I chuckled, teasing, and he just continued, picking as well.

I kicked him and he stopped. "Okay. Jeez, Miss. Routledge," he mumbled.

After a pause, I looked at him on my shoulder. His hair was disheveled, more than usual. Definitely from what we just did. My hair was in knots and my entire body was sore. His lips looked swollen, and certain 'marks' were left on his neck. Mine too. I traced his, delicately. "Miss. Routledge? Suddenly proper, hm?" I asked.

He grasped tighter onto my waist. "Unless you prefer Mrs. Mayb-"

I stopped him, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Woah, Blondie."

He laughed, and I knew he was teasing me.

I rested my back in his chest, feeling safe and warm in his grasp.

-|-

The next day, my friend Maggie drove me to Heyward's after work, which I scoop horse shit for 5 hours. "See ya later, Maggie," I said. I walked inside, looking at my friends.

JJ's face lit up, and he smiled. I waved at them and he walked up to me, hugging me.

Pope and Kie shared a look, then back at us.

Obviously, JJ didn't tell them about 'us' yet.

We all stood beside one another, putting together groceries for Heyward. "Don't let it get into your head, bro. There's four of them and two of us. Typical Kook shit right there," JJ told Pope. "Hell yeah," I agreed. "What was your thought process, using your head," JJ asked, and I remembered how Pope head butted Rafe last night. "I don't know, man. I just kind of acted off instinct. I was a cornered animal."

"Salud!" I cheered, laughing.

"Hey Pope, someone here to see you," Heyward called and I looked up. Deputy Shoupe walked in and I scrunched my eyebrows, looking back at JJ, then back at Shoupe. "Evening, Officer," Pope wearily said. "I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property-"

"What?"

"Hands where I can see them," Shoupe continued. JJ shared a look with Pope and I know that something happened the other day. "JJ..." I grumbled, clenching my tongue to the roof of my mouth. "What happened the other night," I questioned, making a fist with my hand. "Babe, it's fine-"

"It most certainly isn't!"

I followed Shoupe as he recited his words: "Anything you do or say will be accounted for in the court of law. You have a right to a attorney."

"You're arresting him?!" I shouted, angry.

I followed Shoupe, in between holding JJ back and bickering with Shoupe.

Pope's face was completely blank, and I held my hand to  my mouth, confused. Was this what happened with Rafe and Topper and Tommy yesterday night?

Pope stood against the truck and I straightened my back, confused and angry.

Then out of nowhere, someone yells: "It wasn't him!!"

I turn around to the voice. Of course, it's my own (boy)friend's. It's JJ's.

"It was me. He tried to talk me out of it," he said, stepping forward. "But I was mad because he'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those Figure Eight assholes that I lost my shit," he looked at Pope, "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. You got too much to lose."

"JJ, what are you doing?" Pope asked. "I'm telling the truth. For once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth. I took his old man's boat, too," JJ explained. "What the hell?" Heyward questioned.

"JJ, come on-"

"Just shut up, Pope! Just shut up!" He looked back at me, then at Shoupe. "He's a good kid. You know where I'm from," JJ explained, and the officer nodded, "yeah."

"This was all me..."

"That's the whole truth?" Shoupe asked Pope. "Whole truth, swear to God," JJ added. "I know what you think, damn it, I'm asking Pope!" Shoupe yelled.

...

"That's about covers it," Pope said after a LONG pause. The handcuffs came off of Pope and JJ got into the truck. And I couldn't help but close my eyes. Couldn't I have something good happen for over 24 hours?